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COP23: We Showed the World that America is Still In

U.S. climate action was on full display during COP23, with over 100 prominent leaders from U.S. state and local governments, private sector and academia gathering in Bonn to voice support for the Paris Agreement and buoy confidence in the negotiations. The message to the world in Bonn was crystal clear: the U.S. is still in.

American leaders used the flagship U.S. Climate Action Center - a first of its kind pavilion for American cities, states and businesses - as the base of their operations during the two weeks of negotiations, where they held 44 events before thousands of in-person attendees and more watching from around the world.

The Action Center became a central landmark of the talks in Bonn, with 27,000 square feet, the Action Center was larger than any prior U.S. federal center at previous UN climate talks. The center hosted governors, senators, mayors business leaders, a bipartisan group of 11 states, and attendees from around the world, reflecting the openness that has always characterized the American spirit.

Launch of the America’s Pledge report. Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama and UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa participated in the event to receive the pledge and gave applause to the bottom-up effort to fulfill and uphold America’s targets under the Paris Agreement

The #IAmStillIn effort delivered a petition to the UNFCCC with over 1 million signatures of Americans pledging their support for the Paris Agreement

Rocky Mountain Institute’s presented the Carbon-Free City Handbook which highlights 22 actions cities can take to move toward carbon neutrality in one year and points to cities where this transformation is already taking place.

In the absence of leadership from Washington, representatives of cities and states, tribes, businesses, and academia have traveled to Bonn and are standing alongside the international community to make clear that the representation of the United States extends beyond its federal government. With over 2,500 signatories representing more than 130 million Americans and $6.2 trillion of economic output, ‘We Are Still In’ is the largest cross section of the American economy yet assembled in pursuit of climate action. We invite all attendees to join them as they kick off the US non-national presence at COP 23.

Speakers: James Brainard, Mayor of Carmel, Indiana; David Phillips, VP for Energy and Sustainability, University of California; Bishop Marc Andrus, The Episcopal Church; Jeff Moe, Global Director, Product Advocacy, Ingersoll Rand; others to be confirmedHosted by: We Are Still In

Innovations in climate policy in California will be presented including ex- tension the Cap and Trade program, the allocation of $1.5 billion of auction proceeds, and climate resilience. Lessons learned, opportunities, and challenges for integrating these advances into market-based climate programs in other jurisdictions will be explored.

Community and grassroots leaders will join activists to participate in a speak out, sharing personal stories of how their communities are being impacted by unjust policies, governmental unaccountability, the fossil fuel industry, and ever-present climate disasters. We invite the public to listen, learn, and connect as we highlight our urgency to stop the climate crisis.

Learn about the successes and next steps for the US Beyond Coal Campaign, a grassroots movement of 100+ NGOs that has retired half of US coal plants. Beyond Coal is one of the most successful environmental campaigns in history and will be a central strategy for the US to meet its Paris goals.

The event will feature an engaging discussion of key proven and emerging strategies for cities to achieve carbon emission reductions in the building sector. Strategies will include policies such as benchmarking and incentives; programs such as challenges; and private sector engagement models.

This event is designed to challenge the economic case for President Trump’s support for the coal industry and finds that phasing out US coal in line with the Paris Agreement would be good for consumers, investors and the wider economy.

Many leading U.S. companies, recognizing both the risks and the opportunities presented by climate change, see a strong business case for climate action and are investing in a low-carbon future. Join two U.S. Senators and business leaders for a discussion of the steps companies are taking, the economic benefits of climate action, and the role of federal policy in accelerating the low-carbon transition.

Filmmaker James Redford embarks on a colorful personal journey into the dawn of the clean energy era as it creates jobs, turns profits, and makes communities stronger and healthier across the US. Reaching well beyond a remarkable story of technology and innovation, “Happening” explores issues of human resilience, social justice, embracing the future, and finding hope for our survival.

Speakers: James RedfordHosted by: World Wildlife Fund

We Are Still In Welcome ReceptionFriday, November 10th |18:00 - 20:00 | Copenhagen Dome

All are welcome to join the We Are Still In delegation for an evening reception. Come enjoy complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres while meeting inspiring leaders of all kinds from the U.S. and around the world. Make friends, build connections, and find out why over 2500 businesses, investors, states, cities, tribes, universities, and faith groups are Still In.

Free food and drinks; all are welcome. RSVP Here_____________________________

Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change Michael R. Bloomberg and California Governor Jerry Brown will release a new America’s Pledge report detailing U.S. states, cities, and businesses’ climate-related actions that are keeping America on track to meet its Paris Agreement carbon reduction goals. They will be joined by a cross-sectoral panel discussion, and UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa will receive the report.

International climate finance is an essential pillar of U.S. engagement in the global fight against climate change. U.S. nonfederal climate leaders are developing a focus on finance in order to fully support the goals of the Paris Agreement. This event will showcase the interests of U.S. states, cities, businesses, nongovernmental groups, etc. in mobilizing and providing climate finance.

California has been a global leader on climate policy. Progressive businesses have been advocates for these measures in the world’s sixth largest economy. Governor Brown and business leaders will discuss climate leadership in the face of federal government inaction, including engagement in We Are Still In and the 2018 Global Climate Action Summit.

Cities of all sizes can take bold action within the next year to make significant progress on the road to being a thriving carbon-free city. This event will feature city leaders and the launch of The Carbon-Free City Handbook, a free resource for local governments from Rocky Mountain Institute.

We are already feeling the impacts of climate change around the world. In the U.S. recent hurricanes and wildfires have shown us how unprepared we are for this new normal, and crystalize the risks we face if we do not reverse emissions trends. This panel will seek to understand these risks and how local, state, and federal leaders can respond to them.

The America’s Pledge report presents a snapshot of the scope and scale of non-federal action underway in the United States. It also examines trends affecting the low-carbon transformation of the U.S. economy and discusses the potential for the market dynamics that have been key to reducing emissions over the last decade to continue.

The world's largest retailer and cities of the world's largest commodity producing basin partner to mitigate climate risk, sustain agriculture, and improve water quality across more than 20 million acres. Learn about a partnership designed around market forces toward reducing emissions by one gigaton spanning the supply chain from acreage to shelf.

The U.S. People’s Delegation Town Hall will provide a venue for elected officials to come together with citizen activists and voters to discuss the road to true climate action and to discuss a vision for what localized implementation should look like in the United States.

Invited guests are welcomed to a reception with climate leaders, advocates, and journalists. Learn about the latest U.S. climate efforts and join us as we toast to continually successful negotiations. Complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres will be provided. Make it the first stop of your Saturday evening. RSVP Here

The climate leadership role of U.S. states has been magnified as they step in to continue reducing emissions to meet state and Paris Agreement goals. This event will highlight state actions, goals and regional collaborations, including with partners in Canadian provinces.

Join us for a reception of global higher education leaders, faculty, staff and students at the US Climate Action Center. Network with your peers, meet new ones, and swap stories about your COP23 experience. Hear briefly from a select group of speakers about climate leadership programs within the higher education sector, but mainly come enjoy each other's company at COP23!

Hosted by: Second Nature; Tufts University; University of Connecticut; The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education

Three presidents from U.S. Higher Education will discuss the complementary strengths institutions bring to help accelerate climate action. The panelists will also discuss how they can scale their work through a shared commitment to carbon neutrality.

While climate change has sometimes been viewed as a political issue, increasingly it is one that neither political party can ignore. Come hear what senior policy advisors from both major political parties view as areas for bipartisan cooperation on climate change in the future.

Through a cross-sectoral panel, we will discuss large-scale carbon sequestration through land management, focusing on large landholders. Higher education institutions have a key role to play, specifically through the "land-grant" system in the US, in accelerating this opportunity.

2017 has been a remarkable year for business climate action, with a loud drumbeat of innovation, investment and action, on critical areas, such as science based targets and renewable energy. Over the course of eight conference sessions, the Business Showcase at the US Climate Action Pavilion will bring together corporate leaders from many iconic U.S. brands to explore their efforts to help decarbonize the American economy.

12:00 PMARRIVAL

12:15 PM WELCOMERepresentatives from some of the Showcase’s convening organizations will provide remarks and premiere a short video entitled “New Hope.”Speaker:Sheila Bonini, Senior Vice President, Private Sector Engagement, World Wildlife Fund – U.S.

12:30 PM THE AUDACITY OF “STILL IN”(starts at 10:50)This conversation will highlight business leaders and We Are Still In signatories who can share the business case for climate action, why leading on climate remains a priority for industry, and how We Are Still In will facilitate the transition to a low carbon economy.
Moderator:Amy Harder, Climate & Energy Reporter, AxiosSpeakers: Jeff Moe, Global Director, Energy Policy & Product Advocacy, Ingersoll Rand; Barry Parkin, Chief Sustainability Officer, Mars, Inc.

1:40 PM PREVIEW – CALIFORNIA’S GLOBAL CLIMATE ACTION SUMMITThis talk from a state government perspective will share California’s plans for a global non-state actor summit in September of 2018 where businesses can participate by ensuring their targets are part of the proceedings.
Speaker:Aimee Barnes, Senior Advisor, Governor’s Office, State of California

6:00 PM CLOSING REMARKSWWF-US’s Lou Leonard will end the formal program with his thoughts on the road ahead.Speaker:Lou Leonard, Senior Vice President for Climate Change & Energy, World Wildlife Fund – U.S.

6:15 PM – 7:00 PM NETWORKING RECEPTION

Special thanks to the Coca-Cola Company and Mars, Inc. for sponsoring the Business Showcase’s coffee break and networking reception. The Business Showcase is hosted by World Wildlife Fund (WWF-US) and Ceres, with support from the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES), the Busi- ness Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE), and World Resources Institute (WRI)

On the road to the GCAS: cooperation among California, Germany and the private sectorWednesday, November 15th | 12:00 - 14:00 | Cancun Dome

The September 2018 Global Climate Action Summit hosted by California Governor Jerry Brown provides an important, high-profile opportunity to accelerate climate action. Germany and California have long been leaders on climate change, and the recent Joint Statement on Climate Action between the two governments demonstrates they are aligned and intend to work together in cooperation with private sector on the road to the Summit. This high-level panel event will explore opportunities to enhance climate action in key sectors at the subnational level, on the road to the GCAS. The event brings together senior policymakers from Germany and California with experts from the private sector to discuss collaboration on climate action, including through engagement with non-state actors.

Following the announcement on the Paris Agreement, a large, diverse coalition of progressive groups launched a citizen petition to tell the international community that the US will lead on climate regardless of federal actions. Members of the “People’s Delegation" will deliver these petitions at this event to the UNFCCC Secretariat.

Speakers: U.S. People’s Delegation; storytellersHosted by: Center for American Progress

Minnesota has an historically carbon-intensive economy which includes industry, agriculture, coal, and transportation. Yet through bipartisan policy and business leadership, the state has made big achievements in decarbonization and has established nation-leading commitments to carbon reduction in the power sector.

The Engine of Ambition: University Research and Engagement to Support Climate ActionWednesday, November 15th | 17:00 - 18:00 | Cancun Dome

Delivering on the goals of Paris will depend on an “engine of ambition” in which ambitious but feasible emissions and adaptation goals are set, achieved, communicated, and ratcheted up over time, supported by appropriate finance and institutional structures. This requires greatly bolstered conversation between experts and decision-makers for near term targets, longer-term national decarbonization strategies, and SDGs. Universities have a unique and vital role to play in building this analytical capacity toward a 2C pathway, but this will require new collaborative models across multiple stakeholder groups and all levels of government

Why are U.S. companies committed to taking action on climate? Join Walmart Director of Sustainability Katherine Neebe and Mars Inc. Senior Director of Sustainability Lisa Manley to learn more about why and how major U.S. corporations are squeezing emissions out of their supply chains, adopting science-based targets, and supporting the Paris process.

A conversation with Todd Stern, former Special Envoy for Climate Change in the Obama Administration and Sue Biniaz, the former principal legal advisor on the climate negotiations for the United States, who will discuss the future of the Paris Agreement.

This panel of U.S. state, Canadian provincial and other delegates will focus on regional and cross-border collaboration such as RGGI, Western Climate Initiative, and Pacific Coast Collaborative, provide an update on current efforts and thoughts on challenges/opportunities to new or expanded collaboration.

As we close out a full week of discussions, presentations, and inspirational stories from state, local, regional, and national leaders across the entire U.S. economy - this cross-sectoral panel will reflect back on what we learned, how we can continue to harness our ambitions into additional actions, and how we can continue to work together - across all sectors to demonstrate to the rest of the world that We Are Still In.

We Are Still In is as a joint declaration of support for climate action, signed by more than 3,500 CEOs, mayors, governors, college presidents, and others. The organizations they represent comprise the largest and most diverse coalition of actors ever established in pursuit of climate action.